Sometimes, the best travel experiences are practically in your own backyard. That’s probably why I write so much about Montreal or local day trips.
Unless you’re a full-time nomad, there are many opportunities to visit things closer to home.
I’ve had this strange sense of urgency this year. It’s made me want to plan and schedule everything I want to do before I pass on. We did South America this spring, And I booked our trip to South Africa for next October.
But it’s not all about travel. It’s also about certain things that I wanted to do. In my 20s, I had many things I wanted to do and accomplish, and I was fortunate enough to do everything I wanted to during that decade. A few things subsequently dropped off, but one that I did want to do and felt that I never would is skydive or at least jump out of a plane in tandem with a parachute.
In my 40s, I felt I was too old and was putting on weight. This year, however, that desire came back into being suddenly. Last Friday, I brought it to fruition.
I was very fortunate that three of my friends, who took the DayTrip to 1000 Islands with me, insisted on coming. None of them would ever consider doing it, but they supported me.
A Day Trip To 1000 Islands – Worthwhile
We arrived in Parachute Montreal in plenty of time to check in. I was told that there was a lot of waiting around sometimes, and we didn’t get started for over an hour in preparation. After we arrived, there were still two other plane loads ahead. But the day was perfect. It was sunny, not too hot, and, most importantly, not windy.
I chose the 13,500-foot jump, which is the most popular option. You free fall for 60 seconds attached to the instructor, and around 5,000 feet, your instructor deploys the canopy parachute, and you glide down.
We had a five-minute prep video, and then it was time to wait again until we were called to suit up.
The gear was heavy enough but tied into me, and I felt somewhat constricted. My tandem guide, Rafael, suggested a hat since the weather up high when we jumped would be about -3°C. That turned out to be excellent advice.
We were the first to load up in the plane, which took 12 people, six tandem couples and one guy alone. We sat on the sides of the plane straddling benches, where we got hooked up to each other. I could barely breathe if I thought I was constrained in the suit by the time I’d been connected to Rafael.
At this point, we’re flying relatively high, and I'm enjoying the scenery and trying very hard not to think about the actual jumping out. That was the only part that made me a little nervous: when we reached the spot to exit, each tandem pair slowly Scooted down the benches towards the opening at the back of the plane. This part felt rather strange.
We were the last to go. I was ready and waiting to jump, looking out on the horizon. Yes, I was slightly apprehensive but less than I thought I would be. It seems like we waited for quite some time before I felt like being kicked out and rolled over. That’s the “interesting” part. You don’t jump, and you don’t jump forward. You kind of roll, not totally around or on your back. The next thing I knew, I was falling face forward, arms crossed with the wind blasting at my face. My eyes were almost watery from the wind, but thank goodness for the goggles. I was immediately happy I had a hat. It was cold.
We were in freefall for what seemed like quite some time. Rafael gave me a thumbs up so I could stick my arms out and then tap me on the shoulder when he was going to release the parachute. There was a slight jerk, but nothing serious. That said, the tightening in my crotch was painful.
Rafael gave me the rain so I could maneuver and move in any direction, but I didn’t do it for very long because I was enjoying the quiet and now warmer slow journey down. I returned the rain to Rafael, who asked me if I wanted to do a spin. I immediately declined the offer, and I was glad that I had because as we were coming in for lending, he was required to do some sharp returns to make sure we were out of the way and landing in the right spot; my stomach all at all that was good was smooth my leg up, and we just slid across very slowly onto the grass on our bums.
I took a little time to get out of my harness, feeling lightheaded, not dizzy. That’s quite common, and it lasted a few minutes.
It was so worth it. Remember, you are never too old.
